AFCON 2027: Qualifying groups revealed ahead of East Africa finals

The roadmap for the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) PAMOJA 2027 is officially set following the group-stage qualification draw held at the Egyptian Football Association headquarters in Cairo on Tuesday afternoon.

A total of 48 nations were divided into 12 groups of four, initiating the race for the 24 available spots at the continental showpiece. The tournament will be co-hosted by East African neighbours Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania from June 19 to July 17, 2027.

FULL 2027 AFCON QUALIFIERS DRAW OUT!#Fazfootball, #WeAreChipolopolo, #AFCON2027, #PAMOJA2027 pic.twitter.com/1aALau0xaC

— FAZ (@FAZFootball) May 19, 2026

Heavyweights Face Dangerous Contenders in 2027 AFCON Qualifiers

With continental powerhouses anchored in Pot 1, the draw has produced several highly competitive groups. In Group C, reigning champions Côte d’Ivoire find themselves alongside four-time winners Ghana, a dangerous Gambia side, and Somalia.

Group I sets up a massive North-versus-South clash, pairing Algeria with a formidable Zambia side, alongside Togo and Burundi. Meanwhile, Senegal headlines Group J, where they face a rising Mozambique team, Sudan, and Ethiopia.

The Co-Host Regulations Explained

Because Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania qualify automatically as tournament hosts, the rules governing their respective groups differ from the standard format.

In standard groups, the top two teams will punch their tickets to the finals. However, in groups featuring a co-host—Group D

(Kenya), Group H (Uganda), and Group M (Tanzania)—the qualification landscape changes:

If the host country finishes in the top two, they qualify alongside the other team in the top two.
If the host country finishes outside the top two, they still qualify, meaning only the group winner joins them in the final tournament.

The Qualification Schedule

The battle for a place in East Africa will be played across three distinct international windows later this year and early next year:

Matchdays 1 & 2: September 21 – October 6, 2026
Matchdays 3 & 4: November 9 – 17, 2026
Matchdays 5 & 6: March 22 – 30, 2027

The Official AFCON 2027 Qualification Groups

Group A: Morocco, Gabon, Niger, Lesotho
Group B: Egypt, Angola, Malawi, South Sudan
Group C: Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, The Gambia, Somalia
Group D: South Africa, Guinea, Kenya, Eritrea
Group E: DR Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Sierra Leone, Zimbabwe
Group F: Burkina Faso, Benin, Mauritania, Central African Republic
Group G: Cameroon, Comoros, Namibia, Congo-Brazzaville
Group H: Tunisia, Uganda, Libya, Botswana
Group I: Algeria, Zambia, Togo, Burundi
Group J: Senegal, Mozambique, Sudan, Ethiopia
Group K: Mali, Cape Verde, Rwanda, Liberia
Group M: Nigeria, Madagascar, Tanzania, Guinea-Bissau